Driver Education Initiative Award

Driving is a privilege, not a right. To be able to drive, one must be vigilant to their surroundings while also being considerate of others and other factors on the road, like the weather, the condition of the road, and the heaviness of traffic. They also need to have a sense of responsibility so as not to risk injuring themselves or others, or even killing them. Driver’s education has a major role in improving these skills with all drivers. Many drivers may not have had adequate driver’s education classes as teens and young adults, and this can affect their perception of driving. They might not know what some road signs mean or do not know that they cannot pass on a two-lane double-yellow road. Both of these examples, as well as others, can easily lead to unnecessary accidents and deaths, and it is not exactly hard to improve existing driver’s education courses. 

There are also some other steps that can be taken to help reduce the number of driving-related deaths throughout the country. Some of the biggest ones are greater safety measures taken by auto manufacturers in their cars, a bigger emphasis on not engaging in impaired driving, and regular testing of driver’s skills. If one takes a look at the latest and greatest cars coming out of major auto manufacturing plants, one would see many features that were previously thought of as impossible or not useful. These can include lane departure warnings, rearview cameras, and even seatbelts. All of these and more encourage drivers to drive safely, although they can also have the adverse effect of making drivers careless because they feel that their car can do everything for them. There must be a balance struck between these two aspects to further enforce road safety. Secondly, a good amount of drivers are willing to drive intoxicated, and they either do not think much of it or conform to peer pressure and do it against their own will. In either case, it is not right and safe for the driver to do this, and a good way of preventing this is to foster a sense of wrong with impaired driving so that drivers feel guilty when doing it. They will also be guilty in court if they get caught. Finally, regular testing of driver’s skills can help make the roads safer by filtering out the dangerous, reckless, and otherwise ineligible drivers. For example, in South Korea, the Seoul government is encouraging unsafe seniors to give up their licenses by enticing them with free public transportation passes and other government benefits. If the US takes up similar efforts, roads will become a lot more safe and drivers will feel more secure. 

In my experience driving, I have never really driven recklessly and dangerously and have never been in an accident, although my parents have, albeit a while ago. However, I have been with other friends and family members who have driven in an unsafe manner. The biggest instance of this is speeding. On open and country roads, some of my friends have driven way over the speed limit and risked being pulled over and receiving a ticket. Another example is running stop lights and taking turns too fast, resulting in all people in the car being thrown to one side of it and sometimes even tipping the car slightly. Whenever I am in these situations, I always make an effort to convince the driver to stop whatever they are doing and drive more responsibly. I also try to not ride with the driver(s) in question if I know they regularly drive irresponsibly. When driving myself, some measures I could take to reduce dangerous driving is making sure I am driving at the speed limit, following stop lights, and looking where other cars are before changing lanes. These actions can really help safen my presence on the road and make others feel safe as well. Advocating for others to follow these practices is effective as well.

In conclusion, I believe that driver’s education plays a vital role in helping to make driving safer, and there can be many actions taken by both myself and other outside forces.